Mammoth’s Bill Armstrong makes ‘sleepless’ admission after Nick Schmaltz extension

The Utah Mammoth signed forward Nick Schmaltz to an eight-year contract extension on Wednesday. Schmaltz, who was set to be a free agent this summer, will make a total of $64 million over the next eight years. General manager Bill Armstrong was certainly determined to keep the veteran forward around, and he accomplished that goal on Wednesday.

Armstrong spoke with the media after the extension was officially announced. He spoke highly of Schmaltz as a player and a person. And he expressed just how much he wanted to keep the veteran in Salt Lake City for as long as possible.

“The thought of losing Nick left me sleepless night after night after night and thinking about what he was going to get in free agency,” the Mammoth general manager said, via NHL.com. “Finally, we reached out to his agent and we were able to have conversations. In those conversations we were mutually agreeing that we both liked each other and that this was a good fit and this could be a good fit for a long time. That was an important part of our talks.”

Schmaltz has been an important part of the Mammoth for a long time. He joined the Arizona Coyotes — whose hockey operations would eventually become the Mammoth — back in 2018-19. He was traded by the Chicago Blackhawks for Brendan Perlini and Dylan Strome.

With Arizona and Utah, he became a consistent offensive threat. Including the 2025-26 campaign, he has recorded five straight 20+ goal campaigns. His 24 goals this year are already a career high, as well.

Schmaltz remains a big part of the long-term vision of the Mammoth. He has certainly contributed to the team’s upward trajectory. And he now has a contract that reflects his value to the NHL’s youngest franchise.

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